Now that Trump has completed demolishing the White House’s East Wing, I have a few questions to ask and a few answers to offer. Others may decry the rapid destruction of the building but prefer to dig a little deeper.

Question 1: What exactly did Trump destroy?

The East Wing historically housed several key offices and facilities that supported the First Lady along with public-facing functions of the executive residence and the public entrance. Before its demolition, these offices and Functions included:

• Office of the First Lady: The East Wing served as the official headquarters for the First Lady and her staff.
• White House Social Secretary: Responsible for planning and coordinating official events and social functions.
• Correspondence Staff: Managed incoming and outgoing communications, including letters from the public.
• White House Graphics and Calligraphy Office: Produced official invitations, place cards, and other materials for events.
• White House Theater: A small movie theater used for private screenings by presidents and their families.
• Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC): A secure underground bunker used during emergencies.
• Public Entrance for Tours: The main entrance for visitors touring the White House.

Former First Lady Laura Bush called the East Wing the heart of the White House. It is entirely fitting that this desecration was done by a man without a heart.

Question 2: Where will these functions go?

We are told that the functions once housed in the East Wing will be relocated to other parts of the White House. The exact new locations have not been publicly defined. This will probably have little impact on current First Lady Melania Trump, who rarely visits the White House. The duties and responsibilities of First Lady sit lightly on her shoulders. She most likely will not miss her East Wing office for a while. She might not even know that it is gone. No one has spoken up on behalf of the other staff members that now find themselves homeless.

Question 3. Who paid to demolish the East Wing?

The White House confirmed that no federal funds were used, and the project is being financed entirely through donations from private individuals and corporations.

I call this group the Coalition of the Grifting. Key funders include:

POTUS: President Donald Trump, who pledged to contribute personally to the project. He doesn’t like to spend his own money, however, so we’ll see what he actually does when it’s time to pony up.

Major Tech Companies:

• Google
• Amazon
• Meta
• Microsoft
• Apple
• Crypto Firms:
• Coinbase
• Ripple
• Tether

Individual Investors: Noted crypto entrepreneurs Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss

For the Coalition of the Grifting, these “donations” are investments in future preferences and opportunities. They will expect tax breaks, tariff exemptions, Cabinet appointments, trade deals, Medal of Honor awards, TV documentaries, and other privileges in return. It’s all part of how the Republican Party is transitioning our Republic into an open, blatant oligarchy.

4. Were any other structures demolished along with the East Wing?

Yes. Jackie Kennedy’s garden was destroyed along with a the colonnade that connected the East Wing to the White House residence and the Bookseller’s Hall. Two historic magnolia trees came down.

5. Were any historical parts of the East Wing preserved?

The White House communications office claims that some historical components of the East Wing, including First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s original office, have been saved and are likely to get a new home.

We will see about that. In 1980 Trump demolished New York City’s 1930 Bonwit Teller department store to build his gaudy golden tower. He promised to save two 15-foot Art Deco bas-relief sculptures and a nickel-plated grill that the Metropolitan Museum of Art had requested for preservation.

Although Trump initially agreed to honor this request and donate the sculptures, he later went back on his word. (Or lied up front.) He supposedly had the art works destroyed to avoid construction delays.

If money is more important than art, then why would money not also be more important than history to this vulgarian?

6. Will the 1942 bunker be replaced by a bigger, modern bunker?

The Presidential Emergency Operations Center is a secure underground bunker originally built during World War II and located beneath the East Wing. Despite the demolition, sources say the PEOC remains intact and operational. I guess we have to take their word for that.

The new ballroom is being constructed above ground and the official renovation plans released so far hold no mention 0f upgrading or relocating the PEOC.

That said, the PEOC’s exact specifications and any potential changes are classified, so it’s possible that internal modifications could occur without public disclosure. We may have to depend on Treasury Department workers to take pictures.

The 6 Questions Answered

So those are the answers, like them or not. While I can understand the rationale behind building a presidential ballroom, I take issue with how it was done, how big it will be, and how out of scale and proportion to the White House its design is.

Watching those mechanical dinosaurs smashing the East Wing into rubble took my breath away. As many people have said, it’s a visual metaphor of what he’s doing to our government and our republic.

So is the oversize, faux gold testament to his greatness that will replace it and be named–of course–for him.